It's really great to see Christina Hendricks on this show. Life's been a bit shaky this season (though tonight's episode was pretty strong), but the first season made me fall in love with the show in a way that I haven't felt since I first watched Buffy. Just, the character development. It's kind of amazing.

If I was going to have someone pull a pencil out of my hand, I think I would choose Christina, too. Especially if she kissed me first to distract me.

In fact, I think I'll go put a pencil through my hand now, just to see if she'll come over.

...KIDDING! Just kidding, for those who thought I was serious. Come on, I'm not that messed up. I'm going to put a pencil through my hand, but it's because I like it, not because I expect Christina to come pull it out.

I think the show's been good this season, maybe not the heady heights of last series quite yet but good. They're maybe suffering very slightly from not having the same intensity in the arc BUT 'Life' is in the happy position of being one of the new crop of character based supposedly "non-procedural" procedurals that's actually usually very good at the episodic elements too (much as I like 'Bones' for the character stuff, the mystery of the week is often pretty pedestrian and predictable IMO - gorey stuff aside) and it's good that they have that to lean on while they're re-arranging the pieces of the arc.

(and the interaction between Crews and Reese just gets better and better, it worked brilliantly in season 1 but now I find I have to consciously step back to appreciate how well both actors play it because they're so smooth and natural that it kinda passes without notice. Well written too)

And Christina was great in last night's, she really does have good chemistry with Adam Arkin even if they might seem a bit of an unlikely couple on paper.

Saje, How did you feel about the little encounter between Reese and her new boss last night? I didn't see it coming, but oddly, it kind of worked. I love Donal Logue anyway and think he's a good addition to the cast.

About that little encounter: I knew they would be heading in that direction eventually, but I (at first) didn't like it last night, b/c I thought it happened too soon. However, the "What?/What?" sold it for me, though. It was the perfect way for them to react, I think.

How did you feel about the little encounter between Reese and her new boss last night?

I pretty much agree with JMaloney Brewbunny - it felt a bit soon for them just to fall for each other but the "What ? ... What ?" totally carried it, I dunno if that's how it was scripted but each delivery was spot on, Reese kinda puzzled and maybe slightly embarrassed, him seemingly puzzled at her puzzlement. Also, from her POV it might've been a more poignant moment, more of a progression, if we'd seen a bit more of her having those horrible empty "encounters" we saw in season 1. All in all though, it's got potential.

(it's a bit "Hollywood" of course because though I can understand Tidwell's sort of wittily straightforward decency being attractive, they haven't made any secret, even textually, of the fact that Reese is a bit of a knockout - it's not one of those daft situations where you have a gorgeous actress that's supposedly playing just an ordinary everyday cop, there've been numerous comments - so in that sense it's a bit of a stretch but, y'know, stranger things happen, we've all seen the odd '9' walking around with what we perceive to be a '7, tops' on his or her arm ;)